Mumbai, Ranji Trophy giants have been invited by the Oman Cricket Association to play six games (three T20s and three One-days) in Muscat ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup. The invitation has been sent out by Oman’s Chief Development Officer, Duleep Mendis.
Duleep Mendis has written a letter to the Mumbai Cricket Association, inviting them over to Muscat to give proper game time to Oman before they play the T20 World Cup qualifiers.
Mumbai Cricket Association Likely To Send A Team To Muscat
Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is likely to send a team to Muscat later this month for an exposure trip that is being initiated by Oman Cricket.
“On behalf of Oman Cricket, we would like to invite the Mumbai Cricket team to play matches against Oman’s national cricket team.
“As we understand that both teams are currently preparing for the upcoming season, it will be an excellent opportunity for the players to get some quality practice just before the commencement of the season,” states the letter which was written by Mendis, which is in possession of ANI.
Oman has qualified for the T20 World Cup and is also set to host six first-round games of the marquee event, which was shifted from India due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The domestic heavyweights last season won the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the national one-day championship, after its poor show in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Mumbai Cricket Association Likely To Accept Oman’s Invitation
The sources within the MCA said that the details of the tour to Oman are still being worked out. It is highly likely that MCA will accept this invitation.
“We have been invited for the tour between August 19-September 3. The details of the tour to Oman are still being worked out,” the source pointed.
As per the plan sent out by Oman Cricket, the Mumbai team will be departing for Muscat on August 19 and then they will quarantine themselves on August 20.
From August 21, Mumbai will be allowed to train. The three T20s will be played on August 22, 24, and 26. After this, Oman and Mumbai will shift their focus to 50-over cricket. The three Onedays will be played on August 29, 31, and September 2. The team will then be heading home on September 3.
It is understood that MCA secretary Sanjay Naik, after receiving a formal invitation letter from Oman Cricket on Friday, is set to deliberate the proposal with other office-bearers, coach Amol Muzumdar and chief selector Salil Ankola before taking a call later this week.
With almost a dozen top Mumbai cricketers being involved either in England or for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) preparation, if MCA decides to accept the proposal, it will have to select a second-string outfit.
BCCI is likely to allot six games of the first round of the forthcoming 2021 Twenty20 World Cup to Muscat, Oman. The BCCI is the host of the global tournament, and the allocation of games is at its discretion. In the meeting in Delhi, it is learned, the BCCI discussed the viability of holding matches in Oman.
With Oman having qualified for the tournament, their team is clubbed with Bangladesh, Scotland, and Papua New Guinea in Group B of the first round. Six league matches of that group could take place in Muscat. Only one venue, Oman Cricket Academy Ground, is being considered for the tournament.